Attachment SESSTA2011112801387.

SESSTA2011112801387.

DECISION submitted by PANASONIC AVIONICS CORPORATION

STA GRANT WITH CONDITIONS

0000-00-00

This document pretains to SES-STA-20111128-01387 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESSTA2011112801387_935685

                                    7       182011004988
E100089     SES-STA-20111128-0138
                          ation
Panasonic Avionics Corpor



                                                                                                               Approved by OMB
                                                                                                                     3060—0678
                                        APPLICATION FOR EARTH STATION SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY



  APPLICANT INFORMATIONEnter a description of this application to identify it on the main menu:
   Request for 60—Day Special Temporary Authority
    1. Applicant


               Name:              Panasonic Avionics Corporation   Phone Number:       949—672—2799
               DBA Name:                                           Fax Number:
                Street:           26200 Enterprise Way             E—Mail:            Bill.Peltola@panasonic.aero


                City:             Lake Forest                      State:              CA
                Country:          USA                              Zipcode:            92630       —
               Attention:         Mr. Bill Peltola


                                   Attachment to Grant
                            Panasonic Avionics Corporation
                        IBFS File No. SES—STA—20111128—01387
                                    Call Sign E100089

Panasonic Aviation Corporation (Panasonic) is granted special temporary authority
(STA) to operate up to 50 eXConnect aircraft earth stations (AES) in the United States
without complying with the data—logging condition imposed in paragraph 26(k) in the
Order in IBFS File No. SES—LIC—20100805—00992 (DA 11—1480, rel. Aug. 31, 2011)
(August 31, 2011 Order). Operations under this STA must comply with all other terms
and conditions of the blanket license granted by the August 31, 2011 Order. This STA is
granted for a period of sixty days, from December 22, 2011 to February 20, 2012,
pending review of Panasonic‘s application for modification of the data—logging condition.
Operations under this STA are subject to the following further condition:

       Operations under this STA shall be on an unprotected, non—interference
       basis i.e., Panasonic shall not cause harmful interference to, and shall not
       claim protection from interference caused to it by, any other lawfully
       operating radiocommunication system. Such operations shall immediately
       terminate upon notification that Panasonic is causing harmful interference
       with (1) lawful operation of any radio system in the 14.0—14.5 GHz band,
       or (2) operation of any TDRSS earth station in the band 14.0—14.2 GHz, or
       (3) radio astronomy observations in the 14.47—14.50 GHz band.

This action is issued pursuant to Section 0.261 of the Commission‘s rules on delegated
authority, 47 C.F.R. § 0.261, and is effective immediately. Petitions for reconsideration
under Section 1.106 or applications for review under Section 1.115 of the Commission‘s
rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.106, 1.115, may be filed within 30 days of the date of the public
notice indicating that this action was taken.


2. Contact


             Name:         Carlos Nalda                         Phone Number:                        202—626—6659
             Company:      Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (US)       Fax Number:
                           LLP
             Street:        1200 19th Street, NW                E—Mail:                              carlos.nalda@ssd.com

                           Suite 300
             City:         Washington                           State:                               DC
             Country:      USA                                  Zipcode:                             20036      —=
             Attention:    Carlos Nalda                         Relationship:                        Legal Counsel


(If your application is related to an application filed with the Commission, enter either the file number or the IB Submission ID of the related
application. Please enter only one.)
3. Reference File Number or Submission ID 1B2011004985

 4a. Is a fee submitted with this application?
@ IfYes, complete and attach FCC Form 159.         If No, indicate reason for fee exemption (see 47 C.F.R.Section 1.1114).
«4 Governmental Entity       C Noncommercial educational licensee
CJ Other(please explain):

4b. Fee Classification    CGB — Mobile Satellite Earth Stations

5. Type Request


g7y Use Prior to Grant                             C Change Station Location                        @ Other


6. Requested Use Prior Date
       12/22/2011


7. City                                                                    8. Latitude
                                                                           (dd mm ss.s h)     0   0   0.0   N
9. State                                                                   10. Longitude
                                                                           (dd mmss.s h)      0   0   0.0   W
11. Please supply any need attachments.
Attachment 1: Narrative Statement                 Attachment 2:                                       Attachment 3:


12. Description.   (If the complete description does not appear in this box, please go to the end of the form to view it in its entirety.)
     Request for 60—day Special Temporary Authority for continued commercial operating
     authority starting December 22,                  2011 during pendency of Modification Application for AMSS
     authorization Call Sign E100089.




13. By checking Yes, the undersigned certifies that neither applicant nor any other party to the application is               Yes        £y No
subject to a denial of Federal benefits that includes FCC benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti—Drug Act
of 1988, 21 U.S.C. Section 862, because of a conviction for possession or distribution of a controlled substance.
See 47 CFR 1.2002(b) for the meaning of "party to the application" for these purposes.


14. Name of Person Signing                                                  15. Title of Person Signing
  Bill Peltola                                                                Director, GCS Business Operations and Planning
           WILLFUL FALSE STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS FORM ARE PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND / OR IMPRISONMENT
                  (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001), AND/OR REVOCATION OF ANY STATION AUTHORIZATION
                   (U.S. Code, Title 47, Section 312(a)(1)), AND/OR FORFEITURE (U.$. Code, Title 47, Section 503).


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1, 1995, 44 U.S.C. SECTION 3507.


                    FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                             Washington, DC 20554

In the Matter of                                 )
                                                 )
Panasonic Avionics Corporation                   )     File No.
                                                 )
Authority to Operate Up to 50 Technically        )           .
Identical Aeronautical Mobile—Satellite          )     Call Sign:   E100089
Service Aircraft Earth Stations in the 14.0—     )
14.4 GHz and 11.7—12.2 GHz Frequency             ;
Bands


             REQUEST FOR SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION

        Panasonic Avionics Corporation ("Panasonic‘"), pursuant to Section 25.120(b)(3) of

the Commission‘s rules, 47 C.F.R. § 25.120(b)(3), hereby seeks a 60—day special temporary

authority ("STA") to continue operating its "eXConnect" aeronautical mobile—satellite service

("AMSS") system on a commercial basis.

        The Commission recently authorized Panasonic to operate the eXConnect AMSS

system onboard Lufthansa Airlines aircraft using the previously authorized MELCO

antenna.‘ Concurrent with the filing of the instant STA request, Panasonic has filed with the

Commission a Modification Application to modify the pointing offset threshold for

increasing data logging frequency (i.e., decreasing the interval between individual log entries)

included in the Panasonic AMSS Authorization from 0.2° to 0.25° to reflect the actual




‘ Order and Authorization, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Application for Authority to
Operate Up to 50 Technically Identical Aeronautical Mobile—Satellite Services Aircraft Earth
Stations in the 14.0—14.4 GHz and 11.7—12.2 GHz Frequency Band, File Nos. SES—LIC—
20100805—00992, SES—AMD—20100914—01163, SES—AMD—20101115—01432, SES—AMD—
20110325—00358, SES—AFS—20110405—00402, SES—STA—20110104—00005, Call Sign
E100089, DA 11—1480 (Aug. 31, 2011) ("Panasonic AMSS Authorization").


technical characteristics of the MELCO aircraft earth station ("AES") antenna and data

logging protocol being implemented by Panasonic.

1.      DISCUSSION

         On August 31, 2011, the Commission authorized Panasonic to operate the eXConnect

AMSS system onboard Lufthansa Airlines aircraft using the previously authorized MELCO

antenna." In so doing, the Commission concluded that grant of the authorization would serve

the public interest by allowing Panasorfic "to provide two—way, in—flight broadband services,

including Internet access, to passengers and flight crews aboard commercial airliners, thereby

enhancing competition in an important sector of the mobile telecommunications market in the

United States.""*

         On September 30, 2011, Panasonic filed an application for a 30—day Special

Temporary Authority ("STA") to afford sufficient time to complete the ongoing software A

program necessary to fully implement the data logging protocol designed by Panasonic in

anticipation of receiving its AMSS license. Included with the STA application was a Request

for Clarification and/or Limited Waiver to confirm that the data logging approach embodied

in its data logging protocol complies with the Panasonic AMSS Authorization.

         On November 22, 2011, the Commission granted the STA until December 21, 201 1,°

but for procedural reasons no action was taken on the Request for Clarification and/or

Limited Waiver. Given the current procedural posture, Panasonic now understands that the


* Panasonic Aeronautics Corporation, Modification Application, Call Sign E100089, SES—
MOD—INTR2011—04985, SES—LIC—20100805—00992, SES—AMD—20100914—01163, SES—
AMD—20101115—01432, SES—AMD—20110325—00358, SES—AFS—20110405—00402, SES—
STA—20110104—00005, Call Sign E100089 (filed Nov. 28, 2011).

* See generally id.

* See id. at «| 1.

* See SES—STA—20110930—01161 (Nov. 22, 2011).


                                              2.


appropriate mechanism to ensure that the data logging condition in its license reflects the

technical characteristics of the MELCO antenna and data logging protocol designed by

Panasonic is to request modification of the relevant license condition.

       A.      Data Logging Condition and Current Protocol

       The stated pointing accuracy of the MELCO AES antenna is 0.25°. The Panasonic

AMSS Authorization includes Condition 26(k) as one of several operating requirements for

the eXConnect system:

        Panasonic shall maintain records of the following data for each operating
        AES: location (latitude, longitude, altitude); aircraft attitude (pitch, yaw,
        roll); transmit frequency and occupied bandwidth; data rate; EIRP; and
        target satellite. This data shall be recorded at intervals of no more than
        two minutes while an AES is transmitting and every 30 seconds when
        aircraft roll angle is greater than 10 degrees. Panasonic shall also record
        instances when AES pointing error angle is greater than 0.2 degrees.
        Panasonic shall make this data available upon request to an FSS system
        operator or the Commission within 24 hours after receiving the request."

Consistent with the stated pointing accuracy of the MELCO antenna, however, Panasonic‘s

data logging protocol decreases the time between log entries from every two minutes to every

30 seconds if an aircraft roll angle exceeds 10° or the pointing offset angle exceeds 0.25°

rather than 0.2° as set forth in Condition 26(k).

        B.     Grant of 60—Day Special Temporary Authority Will Serve the Public
               Interest

       Panasonic is seeking a further 60—day STA to continue operating its eXConnect

system on a commercial basis during the pendency of the companion Modification

Application. A further 60—day STA will also enable Panasonic to continue to operation of its

eXConnect system in the manner authorized in the AMSS Authorization while Panasonic

continues to implement the data logging software update and continue to provide service to




° See Panasonic AMSS Authorization at «[ 26(k) (emphasis added).


                                                —3.


MELCO—equipped Lufthansa Airlines aircraft that intermittently transit U.S. airspace, which

have operated without interference since the commencement of experimental trials in 2010.

       The requested modification is in the public interest because it will enable Panasonic to

implement its data logging protocol based on prior Commission precedent to support

provision of its innovative two—way, in—flight broadband services to passengers and crew

onboard aircraft in flight. Grant of the STA request will also afford the Commission time to

consider the Modification Application, which is akin to a minor modification under Section

25.118 (47 C.F.R. § 25.118) of the Commission‘s Rules because it will in no way increase

the potential for interference from eXConnect system operations.

       This, in turn, will enhance competition in the mobile telecommunications market in

the United States.‘ Grant of the request STA will also ensure that the increase in consumer

demand for in—flight broadband services will be met by affordable and reliable broadband

communications services while strengthening U.S. leadership in these advanced

communications services.




‘ Panasonic AMSS Authorization at | 1.


IL.    CONCLUSION

       In view of the foregoing, and in the absence of any objection or public interest harm

and the significant public benefits associated with the requested relief, Panasonic respectfully

requests that the Commission grant Panasonic a 60—day STA to permit continued operation of

the eXConnect system on a commercial basis.

                                             Sincerely,

                                             PANASONIC AVIONICS CORPORATION

                                             /s/ Carlos M. Nalda

                                             Carlos M. Nalda
                                             Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (US) LLP
                                             1200 19th Street, N.W.
                                             Suite 300
                                             Washington, D.C. 20036

                                             Its Attorney

                                             November 28, 2011


                             CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, Mark D. Johnson, do hereby certify that on this 28" day of November, 2011, I caused to be
sent via First Class, postage prepaid US mail, a copy of the foregoing "Request for Special
Temporary Authority" to the following persons:

David S. Keir, Esq.
Lerman Senter PLLC
2000 K Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006

Counsel for Row 44, Inc.



Document Created: 2012-01-18 18:09:17
Document Modified: 2012-01-18 18:09:17

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